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Description

Odds are, you won't see many of these industrial-strength Galaxies running around. Sure, a lot of convertibles have survived, but this sinister black-on-black 1961 Ford Galaxie hardtop represents a different end of the spectrum. With a strong-running V8, a comfortable interior, and a non-nonsense demeanor, this is an awesome entry-level collectable that's sure to generate a lot of attention at shows.

There are a lot of me-too cars running around; you know, cars that all look alike. Well, this cool Galaxie colors outside the lines. No whitewalls, no chrome accessories, just big, bad, and black. If you take it to a car show, you will quickly notice that people will walk past a lot of shiny pastel cars to get a closer look at this hunk of FoMoCo performance. It's the look and it's exactly right. It's not perfect, so let's not worry about a few nicks and scratches, but it does have charisma and that's a lot more important than perfection. The paint shines up nicely but doesn't look so perfect that the car needs to be constantly tended and fretted over. No, if it rains or you get bugs on it, who cares? In fact, a few bugs on the nose of this car can be worn like a badge of honor because you're driving it! But at the same time, the doors fit well, those giant quarters are super straight, and there's just no evidence that this car was ever a rust bucket or a wreck. Both bumpers have been recently replaced, so they look great, and much of the remaining trim is stainless, so it can always be polished up to look its best.

The black and white interior has to have been restored at some point, but it was a while ago. The good news is that they did it the way the factory would have, with handsome pleated seats, reasonably plush carpets, and sporty door panels that really dress the place up. The big three-spoke wheel makes you feel like you're really piloting a serious car and with a trio of auxiliary gauges under the dash, it's easy to keep an eye on the engine's vitals. There are plenty of places where an industrious owner could upgrade the car, perhaps starting with the AM radio in the center of the dash. Or just leave it as-is and enjoy, that's not a bad choice. You also get a giant trunk for road trips, and it's fitted with a correct plaid mat.

The engine is marked as a 390, but is instead a top-of-the-line 352 cubic inch V8 that's plenty potent and makes all the right V8 noises. Wearing gold valve covers and a factory air cleaner, it looks quite stock, and the big torque that it brings moves this heavyweight with the kind of effortless ease that you'd expect. It's quite tidy under the hood and all the correct components are there, including the expansion tank for the cooling system. Cast iron exhaust manifolds lead to a rumbling dual exhaust system that certainly enhances the brute-force image this car projects. There's also a 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission that knows what it's doing and easy-cruising 3.00 gears out back (if the door tag is to be believed). And those simple black wheels with "dog dish" hubcaps certainly make a statement, especially when wrapped with fat 235/75/15 blackwall radials.

Check out the look, the quality, and the price, and you'll find that entry level Ford horsepower doesn't get much more appealing than this. Call today!